semper ubi sub ubi

Menu

Investing in an Improvisation

Language is a powerful tool. And as with all tools, it is empowering and limiting at the same time. After teaching at Dance Ranch Marfa BERLIN and performing as part of the performance marathon at Ponderosa, I have been thinking about the word “invest”.

What does it mean to invest in an improvisation? To invest in material? Other terms for a similar idea are “t0 mine that vein” of material. Again the idea of “going in” is present. The idea of “going in” in relation to an improvisation is telling. Why do we need to go in, to invest in material to create and develop material? It shows an idea that to create and develop material we need to shut out and remove ourselves from outside stimuli. I can’t think of a more limited place in terms of external stimuli than a mine. Why would we want to work/improvise/create from a place of limited awareness and options?

The idea of “investing in material” leads spatial static work. Going in…into a black hole that sucks you in. Somewhat dramatic of an image…

And if the rest of the ensemble is there to take care of the space, the composition while you and partner(s) invest in material, that leads to even further imbalance between the investors and the ensemble. The investors implode and the ensemble waits for them to resurface.

Take the word “invest”. INvest. How about OUTvest? How would we outvest in material during an improvisation?

Why can’t our awarenesses go outwards when we are mining material in an improvisation? Why isn’t the spatial care taking of the ensemble the mother lode to be mined?

Some other nascent thoughts-

using the Four Winds in CI to explore spatial awareness.mining the space metaphor relating to Cloud City in Star Wars